Time control mechanism



W. E. MYERS Feb. 16, 1932.

TIME CONTROL MECHANI SM 2 Sheets-Skiset l Filed Sept. 3, 1929 Feb. 16, 1932. w. E. MYERS TIME CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Sept. 5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 16, 1932 PATENT GFFICE WALTER E. MYERS, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND TIME CONTROL MECHANISM Application led September 3, 1929. Serial No. 389,981.

This invention relates to an improved time control mechanism for operating an electric switch by means of suitable clock mechanism whereby any desired associated electrically l controlled devices may be operated automatically at any desired time. y

One object of the invention is the provision of a single complete switch operating means of the character described wherein the electrical connections are completely insulated from all parts of the clock mechanism at all times, thus preventing any danger of short circuits in the mechanism or injury to the clock mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of combined switch and time setting mechanism adapted to set the time mechanism for release of the switch and place the switch mechanism in position for actuation by the time mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel form of slidably mounted switch mechanism having all current carrying portions thereof fully insulated from the time mechanism, and wherein the electrical contacts are substantially entirely enclosed at all times by protective and insulating coverings to prevent injury to the switch mechanism or interference with the operation of the time mechanism.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple form of combined clock setting and switch operating mechanism of substantially unitary construction wherein the current carrying parts are fully insulated from the metal parts of the clock mechanism as well as from oth-er operating parts.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various improved details of construction and novel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawings Fig. l is a iront elevational view of the dial ot' the clock mechanism, showing the position of the knobs for setting the clock and time control mechanisms,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the clock mechanismv with the casing partially broken away to show the control mechanism and certain of the operating parts of the clock mechanism,

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the control mechanism, taken substantially along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a part of the control mechanism, similar to Fig. 3, and illustrating another position of the operating elements of the control mechanism, and,

Fig. 5 is a sectional View, taken substantially along the line 5 5 of Fig. 8, and showing certain details of the control mechanism.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herewith the mechanism is shown in connection with the dash clock of an automobile of the usual type, and the control means is employed for controlling the electric lighting circuit for the regulation or parking lights of the automobile, although the control means may be employed for various other purposes and in connection with other forms of clock mechanism, when desired.

The clock l, which may be of the conventional type, is supported by the dash 2 of the automobile, as is usual in devices of this character', and is provided with a dial 3 having an hour hand et and a minute hand 5 supported by a portion of the clock mechanism and actuated thereby in the usual manner. A setting .ia-nd 6, supported by a shaft 7, is mounted to move over an auxiliary dial 8 having indicia thereon for indicating the time which is correspondingly arranged with the indicia carried by the main dial 3.

A clock casing is provided for enclosing the clock mechanism, which may be of any suitable character adapted to move the hands 4 and 5, and the control mechanism associated therewith. The casing comprises a dial plate 9 for supporting the clock dial 3 as Well as certain of the operating parts of the clock mechanism, spacing plates l0 and 1l which support the principal operating elements of the clock mechanism, and a shell 12 which serves as a cover for the clock and control mechanisms, and which is secured in place and held in position to cover the spacing plates 10 and 11 and the mechanisms supportcit ed thereby through any suitable means, which in the present case are the electric circuit terminal posts 13. rllhe circuit terminal posts 13 are each provided with a sleeve 14 formed of insulating material for completely insulating each terminal post from the spacing plates 10 and 11 as well as from the metal shell 12. rlhe outer end of each terminal post 13 is threaded for the reception of nuts 16 for holding the shell against separation from the other parts of the casing and also securing the wires 17 of the electric circuit to the terminal posts.

The principal operating parts of the clock mechanism are positioned between thespacing plates 10 and 11 and are supported thereby in a suitable manner for operating the hands 4 and 5 of the clock as is usual in devices of this character. The clock mechanism being of aconventional type which is well-known in the art, only sufficient portions of the clock mechanism is shown and described to illustrate its operation in connection with 'he improved control mechanism.

A combined setting and winding lrnob 18, for setting and winding the clock mechanism, is located forwardly of the dial plate 9, and is secured to a longitudinally slidable shaft 19, which is slidably and rotatably mounted in the dial plate 9 and spacing plates 10 and 11. The shaft 19 has a gear 20 secured to the end thereof opposite the knob 18 which is adapted to selectively engage and mesh with a gear 21 for winding the cloclr mechanism or a gear 22 for settingthe hands 4 and 5 of the rclock mechanism upon movement of the knob 18 inwardly towards the dial plate 9 or outwardly therefrom, as indicated in full and dotted lines respectively on Fig. 2 of the drawings. A coiled-spring 23 surounds the shaft 19 and has one end thereof engaging the hub of the gear 2O andthe opposite end engaging the spacing plate 10 to normally hold the gear 2O in its full line position, as shown in 2, and in engagement with the gear 21.

A shaft 25, driven by the clock mechanism, is rotatably mounted in bearings carried by the spacing plate 10 and the dial plate 9 and has the minute hand 5 of the clock secured to he end thereof which is located forwardly of the dial 3. A sleeve 26 is mounted for rotation on the shaft 25 and has one end thereof projecting through the dial plate 9 for sapporting the hour iand 4 of the cloclr. r)The sleeve 26 is driven from the shaft 25 through suitable reduction gears 27 and 28 to give it the desired speed of rotation for driving the hour hand 4 in appropriate relation with the minutehand 5. Y

The shaft 7 which supports the setting Y hand 6 for movement relative to the supplemental dial 8 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings carried by the dial plate 9 and a keeper plate 29. A gear 30, having a straight portion 31 and a beveled portion 32, is secured to the shaft 7 and is adapted to be rotated by a beveled gear 33 carried by a portion 34 of a setting shaft 36 in moving the setting hand 6 to its set position. One end of the shaft portion 34 is rotatively supported in a bearing carried by a keeper plate 37. rl`he beveled gear 33 may be actuated by means which will be more fully set forth hereinafter to rotate the gear 30 and set the hand 6 at the desired position relative to the dial 8 for controlling the operation of the automobile lights at the proper time through the movement of the hour and minute hands of the time piece.

A detent sleeve 39 is slidably and rotatably mounted on the sleeve 26 and is provided with a gear 40 which is adapted to mesh with the straight portion 31 of the gear 30 in all positions of the detent sleeve 39. rlhe detent sleeve is also provided with an enlarged detent hub 41 having a plurality of notches 42 formed upon that portion of its outer face which is located adjacent to the gear 40, which notches are adapted to be engaged by the end of a detent catch 43 for a purpose which will be more fully set forth hereinafter.

A detent lug 44 is carried by the hour hand sleeve 26 upon which the detent sleeve is slidably and rotatably mounted, and a fiat spring 45 which is secured to the dial plate 9 engages one face of the gear 40 carried by 'the detent sleeve to constantly force theV detent sleeve 39 against the lug 44 so that as the hour hand sleeve 26 rotates relative to the detent sleeve 39 the end of the lug 44 will constantly bear against and ride upon the outer face 46 of the hub portion 41 of the detent sleeve. A cam recess 48 is formed -in the outer face 46 of the hub portion of the detent for the reception of the lug 44 when the hour hand sleeve reaches the point in its travel over the dial 3 which corresponds with the position of the setting hand 6 on the dial 8 as previously determined in setting the hand 6. When the hour hand sleeve reaches this position the cam recess 48 is brought into position opposite the L lug 44, whereupon the detent sleeve 39 will slide upon the hour hand sleeve 26 from the position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings into the position as shown in Fig. 2 to release the spring catch 43 and operate the switch mechanism.

rllhe switch mechanism, as more fully disslidably mounted a shaft member 52 having a central bore 53 formed in the upper end thereof to slidably receive the end of the shaft portion 34, which, together with the shaft member 52, constitutes the setting shaft 36. A pin 54 carried by the shaft portion 34 fits within a slot 56 formed in the upper end of the shaft member 52 when the members 34 and 52 are in the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings and serves as a clutch to operatively connect the shaft portion 34 and the shaft member 52, thus providing means for rotating the gear 33 from the shaft member 52.

A spring-pressed sleeve 58 is mounted on thc shaft member 52 and has one end thereof bearing against a plate 59 which carries the detent catch 43. The sleeve 58 comprises an upper section 60 formed of insulating material and provided with a reduced portion 61 extending beneath and insulating a metal conducto-r portion 62 of the sleeve from the shaft member 52, and a second insulating section 63 located upon the opposite side of the metal conductor portion of the sleeve from the insulating section 60 previously mentioned, to insulate the conductor 62 from the coiled spring` 64. The coiled spring 64 is seated upon a portion of the insulating block 50 and surrounds the shaft member 52 to bear against the section 63 of the sleeve 58 and urge the sleeve upwardly and into the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The fixed insulating member 50 is provided with an upright squared shoulder 65 which is engaged by an arm 66 carried by the plate 59 to hold the detent catch 43 against rotation at all times during the movement of the shaft 36. In this way the detent catch caused to slide with the shaft 36 and sleeve 58 but is held against rotary movement upon rotation of the shaft 36. Each terminal post 13 has one end secured to the fixed insulating member 50 by means of a screw 67 threaded into the insulating member. A spring plate 68 is held in contact with one of the terminal posts 13 by each screw 67, and is so positioned that the free end of the plate 68 will engage one end of a slidable conductor member 69 and constantly press the same inwardly through a passage formed in the insulating member 50 to engage a portion of the slidable sleeve member 58 for closing the circuit through the conductor 62 or maintaining the circuit open by contact with the insulating section 60 of the sleeve 58.

The shaft member 52 extends downwardly below the fixed insulating member 50 and has a sleeve 70, which forms a part of an angular bracket 71, mounted thereon. The bracket 71 is provided with a sleeve 72, which is located at right angles to the sleeve 70. The lowerl end of the shaft 52 is reduced as at 73 and has a sleeve 74 mounted thereon which is provided with an arm 75 projecting through the opening in the sleeve 72. A second sleeve 76 provided with a beveled gear 77 is rotatably mounted on the arm 75 and within the sleeve 7 2, and a second beveled gear 78 is secured to the lower reduced end 73 of the shaft 52 and meshes with the beveled gear 77. The sleeve 76 projects outwardly through a. slot 79 formed in the dial plate 9 and has a knob 80 firmly but detachably secured thereto to rotate the sleeve 76 and gear 77 carried thereby and thus rotate the shaft member 52 through the beveled gear 78.

In the operation of the improved mechanism the setting hand may be turned to the desired hour for applying the parking or regulation lights of an automobile, when the parts of the setting shaft 36 are in the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, by turning the knob 8O to rotate the shaft 52 through the gears 77 and 78, whereby the setting gear is rotated by engagement with the beveled gear 33. The knob 80 is then pressed downwardly in the slot 79 to lower the shaft member 52 into the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings and cause the end of the detent catch 43 to engage one of the notches 42 formed in the hub portion 41 of the detent sleeve 39. The engagement of the end of the detent catch with one of the notches 42 holds the shaft member 52 and sleeve 58 in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings wherein the slidable conductor members 69 are each in engagement with the insulating section 60 of the sleeve 58 and the electric lighting circuit is broken.

As the hour hand sleeve 26 rotates with the hour hand of the time piece, the lug 44 moves along the face 46 of the det-ent sleeve and at the hour designated by the setting hand 6 on the auxiliary dial 8 the lug moves into registry with the cam recess 48 formed in the face 46 of the detent hub 41. When the lug 44 registers with the recess 48, the spring 45 moves the detent sleeve from its position as Shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings into the position shown in Fig. 2, whereby the hub portion 41 of the detent sleeve moves over out of engagement with the detent catch. As the detent catch is released the pressure of the coiled spring 51 forces the shaft member 52 and sleeve 58 carried thereby upwardly into the position shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, thus bringing the conductor members 69 into contact with the conductor portion 62 of the sleeve to close the electric lighting circuit through the slidable switch member.

-As the hour hand sleeve 26 continues to rotate, the lug 44 is caused to travel out of the relatively short cani recess 48 in the face 46 of the hub portion of the cam sleeve, thus moving the detent sleeve 39 back into the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings with the shaft portion 34 and the shaft member 52 operatively connected and the parts in position to again reset the setting hand 6,

if desired, before lowering the knob 80 to set the switch mechanism.

The curved form of the detent catchv 43, as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, permits the continued operation of the mechanism without interference by the detent catch with the hub portion 41 of the detent sleeve, after the detent catch has been released from engagement with one of the notches 42 and the detent catch has been returned to its raised position by the action of the coiled spring 53. In this position of the catch the detent sleeve is capable of moving into the position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings without the hub portion coming into engagement with the catch.

It will be seen from the above description that my improveo time control mechanism provides a simple and compact structure for opening or closing an electric circuit at a predetermined time which is positive in its operation and so constructed as to prevent short circuiting or leakage ofthe current from the circuit to parts of the clock mechanism.

The control mechanism is readily adaptable for use in connection with any suitable form of cloclr mechanism, and the combined setting and switch mechanism is of such construction as to be easily and cheaply manufactured and applied to any simple and inexpensive form of clock mechanism.

While l have shown and Adescribed one form which my i vention may assume in practice it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the particular mechanism Vshown and dcscribed without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention or the claims appended hereto, which claims are to be broadly construed in the light of my disclosure.

l. A time control mechanism of the character described comprising a dial, time indicating hands movable relative to said dial, a shaft for controlling the movement of one of said time indicating hands, a detent slidably mounted on said shaft, a catch engaging said detent in the operative position of the detenty and out of engagement with said s detent in the released position of the detent,

means for releasing said detent, and a switch member supporting said catch and movable upon the release of said detent Vfor closing y an electric circuit.

member into position to be actuated upon release of said detent. Y

3. A time control mechanism for closing or opening an electric circuit comprising a dial, time indicating hands mounted for movement relative to said dial, an operating shaft for controlling the movement of said hands, a releasable detent carried by -said operating shaft, a separate hand on said dial for indicating the time for the release of said detent, a switch member movable into position for actuation upon the release of said detent, and a slidable and rotatable shaft member for setting said indicating hand and moving said switch member into position to be actuated upon the release of said detent.

4. ln a time controly mechanism for automatically closing an electric circuit at a predetermined time comprising a time piece, means for setting the time piece to release a detent comprising a rotatable shaft, a springpressed sleeve mounted on said shaft and movable upon release of said detent, and means carried by said sleeve for closing an electric circuit upon movement of said sleeve under the influence of the spring and upon its release by said detent.

5. ln a time control mechanism for automatically closing an electric circuit at a predetermined time comprising a time piece, means for setting the time piece to release a detent comprising a rotatable shaft, a xed insulating member provided with a channel, a spring-pressed sleeve mounted on said shaft and slidable within the channel in said insulating member, electric circuit terminals carried by said insulating member, and means carried by said sleeve for connecting said terminals on the movement of said sleeve upon its release by said detent.

6. ln a time control mechanism for automatically closing an electric circuit at a predetermined time .comprising a time piece, means for setting the time piece to release a detent comprising a rotatable shaft member, a sleeve member carried by a portion of said shaft and comprising an insulating` portion and a conducting portion, a fixed insulating member provided with a guide channel for the reception of said sleeve, electric circuit terminals carried by said insulating member and located in position to be engaged by the conducting portion of said slee"` e in one position of the sleeve, and means for moving the sleeve into position for the engagement of the conducting portion thereof with said electric terminals upon release of said detent.

' in a mechanism of the character described, a guide member provided with a channel, a shaft rotatably supported in the channel, bearings for supporting said shaft, a switch member mounted on the shaft, electric circuit terminals supported by said guide member, and means carried by said switch member for connecting said terminals to close the electric circuit.

8. In a mechanism of the character described, a clock mechanism provided with a setting means comprising a two-part shaft member, a clutch for connecting the parts of said shaft member whereby the same may be operated to set the clock mechanism, and a switch member mounted on said shaft member and movable for closing an electric circuit.

9. In a mechanism of the character described, a clock mechanism comprising time indicating hands, means for moving said indicating hands to indicate the time, and a setting hand; electric circuit terminals normally spaced from each other a suiicient distance to prevent the passage of current thereacross, a slidably mounted switch member provided with means of connecting or disconnecting said terminals, and common means comprising a two-part clutch connected shaft member for setting said setting hand and moving said slidable switch member to open the electric circuit.

10. In a mechanism of the character described, a setting hand means for setting the setting hand comprising a shaft member comprising telescoping parts provided with a clutch means for operatively connecting or disconnecting said parts and connecting or disconnecting one part of the shaft member from the setting means, electric circuit terminals, means movable to disconnect or connect said terminals upon the disconnection or connect-ion of the shaft member` with the setting mechanism, and means releasable by said clock mechanism for holding said clutch means disconnected.

l1. In a device of the character described, time indicating hands, a shaft controlling the movement of said hands, a setting hand, a shaft operable to move said setting hand, a detent slidably mounted upon one of said shafts, a switch member mounted for movement axially of the other shaft, and means carried by said switch member and releasable upon slidable movement of said detent for closing an electric circuit.

5o 12. In a device of the character described,

a time indicating and switch control mechanism comprising time indicating hands and a setting hand, shafts for operating said time indicating hands and setting hand respectively, a detent slidably mounted upon one of said shafts and releasable at a given point in the rotation of said shaft, and a switch member movably mounted upon the other of said shafts and actuable upon the release of said detent to close an electric circuit.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

WALTER E. MYERS. 

